Aircraft construction



Aug. 14, 1934; A. F. LA FON 1,969,804

AIRCRAFT CONSTRUCTION Original Filed March 25. 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet I Aug. 14, 1934. A. F. LA FON 1,969,804

AIRCRAFT CONSTRUCTION Original Filed March 25. 1951 s Sheets-Sheet s gwuemtoz W0 yas yj Patented Aug. 14, 1934 nmate Es .--.Applieation=- Martin 2 1931, Serial No.,525, 140 I imnewedrlanuary 13,; 1934 Claims I o'llhisz in-izention" relates to :an'improved aircraft :2 ofegener'al .apiilicatiom; although best? fitted": for -use as a'iheavieri-ithaneairmachine. :It comprises azlifting; ele'rn'entstdependent.iupomwhat is known thEiMfigIlllS i-principleg that ;-is,2that when a current of air is directedacross-a rotatingidrumf likei structuremioreescwill: be..-:-:set aupzi-vtending to i move? the .structurezdn: andireotiom perpendieular --to'.rthel axiaof r'otatiomand perpendicular to the "directions ofxlthe air current.

'tIn fitspreferreduform :the inwentiontconsists in 'i'mounting aplurality of such lifting elements in tcircular formation .around a centrifugal blower in aframeflomwwhieh a car maybe suspended,

" i and 'in providing means whereby *theframe Lmay be tilted with respect to the can and its suspendmg sans in: order towary thedirection :of motion of the structureas a; whole.

' 'Fu'rtherobjects ='0f thednventionconsist in I providing the structure with a directional rudder having a floating connection with the framedin "which the diiting "elements are mounted in providingd-i'i ferential gearing through which ---the blower-may bedriven by a-motor mountedin the;suspended car and in' providingthe iolower with a dome shaped closure below its air piroj pellingfansedapted td-be brought" into a position such} as todefiect air'-'outwai'dly against' the il-ftingelements as a' result of air axial movement of the blower to an elevated position, thus=.providing means for checking the" movement of the 'structure when-descending. I 5 a In the accompanying drawingsdllustrating the preferred and a'modified formof theinvention- "Figure l iS 9.'-' Sid8- view-of"the' improved air- Qoraft, parts of-the mechanismbeing illustrated "in oross-sectiom'the section being taken along the line 1-'1 of Figi 5.

Fig.2 is aside viewof the aircraftdrawn to a smaller scale; illustrating "the-"frame-andlifting elements as havingbeenrshifted-to a position .su'oh asto produce a component-of movement ina forward direction. 7

Fi 1 3 is' a-front view-*of the structure' 'illustrated in Figsyland 2. g r

Fig. 4' is atoo view -'of the frame; and car 1 'of thernachine; certain parts being omitted to disclose underlying structure. I

Fig: 5 is a top view of the same structure with the blower and lifting elementsdnplace. V

Fig; 6 is a-sideview of a modifiedfor-m-'of liftingelement. ,7 w r Fig '7 is a View in transverse 'section' 'of' the -lifting element illustrated in- Fig: 6 the se'otiolr'be- 5 ingtaken'along the line 7''7.

(gran-{14) 1 Fig; 8 isajiseeondz=yiew -in transverse-section of: :thexliftin eiement-illustrated rim- Fig; 6;the

:section being taken; along; the: gline ,8 -8.

Referring: first to rEigs. 1=;-;to 5, inclusivemillustrating the preferredwqform of;L-the inyention g stheaaircraft comprises ar'centrifugal blower 20 ';'('Figs.. 1 and 5) smountednfor-rotation about averr Itical; axis :in a: frame: comprising rings. 21 22 and 23 i (Fig; 4) :Lupper; and 1 lower @bea-rings 24, 1:25 2 (Fig; 1) rtfor the blower, and COIIRBQtlllEubIflCBS-s L, 26; '27 and 28 :(Figs. laand i) i 3 Arrangedoincircular; form around tthe blower are. a plurality of lifting-*elementsj29. (Figs;- l-and 5) :i adapted: to: be :rotated; about; :their :horizontal axes;1the'arespective1liting elementshaving bear-. :;ings'.=30 (Figs; 4 and 5)i imthebraees'26.

A; suitable; ear-r31; :(Figg Barneys-be: suspended from the frame by hanger rods 32 (Fig. Slzfixedly ;;tsecured 'byeyesi33t t'liigiz :4) :itoi a 1 crosseshaft 34 =pivota11y; :mounted in Ether ring-like: frame strucn7 ture. This car may be:providediwith appropriate landing- .gear .conventionally representeda as comprising wheels 351secured toithe narcby bracketsBG 5-:(Eigs. li and 3) V z-Mlithin-uthez: earn-may: be anountedzsa sesuitableg g motor 37 (Fig. 1) connected :by smeans bfgears 188,2 39 "with .a': shafti'fl 1"; extending elengthwise Q through; a tubulannstructurei $1, Ithe" :lower. end of. which may be: securedrimthe can. and'theyupper tendon-which may be secured'by a; bracket .42 itliig. .8 z 3) to wthe1cr0ss -ba1fi'34 :(FigsA) -:Thermotor may be provided with the usual controllingaz'means, t whichnneed neither'-. be :illustrated" nor; described. -Fon reasons tofzbehereinafter" made clear; the 1 blower 'ZOis providedwith a shafticomprisingtwor welementsuthel upper elementi 43 otwhi'clris ro- 1 tat-able in-the upper bearing:24 (Fig.-' 1-): andtmay yslidexupwardlyitherein. The lower end-nftithe upper 'element243, to .-..whi'ch:, the: blowerwis; at-

- tached-,i= is in the" natureof. an s. internally-'thread- 9 ed 211111744 .into which extends-thee externallythreadedupper end. of'the. lowershaft element '45.

The lower end of theshaift elementa45 is: ex- -ten'ded through: the' bearing -25isupported from "the ring'structure 23-by a'suitabl'e bracket: 46,: and; iterminates with. aifixed bevel gear: 4'1 in=meshed relationship with 'abevelgearf48 rotatably mountsiedvuponathe cross-shaft 341mg; 4) x fThesuppersaend ofithe.motorishaft'40 ":(Fig; 1) flikewisei terminates a fixed bevel: gear c49.

Asatisfactory form of blower; as conventionally "represented in Figs. 1: and 5;:may comprise: a dished disk -or dome likestructure secured to the felement 44 M the blower shafh and; when "in 'itsmormal position, -=having "its periphery jusv i clear of the surfaces of the lifting elements 29 at a lever materially below their axes. A plurality of suitable air-propelling vanes 51 may be secured to the dome-like structure in positions such as to cause air to be moved outwardly from their peripheries against the surfaces of the lifting elements 29 so that a portion of the air will be caused to flow over the lifting elements and a portion to flow underthe same. I

The inclination of the threads of the screwand-nut connection 44, 45 by which the motor shaft is connected with the blower is such as to cause the blower and the shaft 43, 44..50 be maintained at the normal elevation indicated in full blower.

. Any suitable means maybe, provided for causing be such that the upper surface of each element will be moved outwardly or away from the blower.

In the form of the invention herein'disclosed the "rotation is effected by means of the 25 blast of air produced by'the blower.

In the form of the invention illustrated .in

Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, two of the lifting elements I 29, specific'ally'designated- 29A, are provided with curved vanes 52'extending lengthwise between end flanges 53. The curvature of these vanes'52 is such as to cause the two elements of which they form a partto be rapidly rotatedin the desired direction, indicated by arrows in Fig. 1.

It has been found as a result of experiment that the force set up bytheapplication of theMagnus principle increases very rapidly as the rate of rotation of the drumor cylindrical body is. in

creased.

In geared connection withthe lifting elements provided with the vanes 52, which might be regarded as driving elements, are pairs. of lifting elements 293 in the form .of drums having corrugated surfaces extending from end to end between the flanges 53. may be regarded as driven elements'as compared with the elements 29A. I

:By suitable 'step-upgea'ring 54, 55, the speed of rotation of the drivenelerrlents may be indriven by the motor, airis drawn from above into the space withinithe vanes 51 and thence forced outwardly in"every-dire'ction and impelled against the drums 29. The reactionofthe outwardly-moving. air vupon thevanes 'of the driving elements29A- causes them to bearapidly rotatedin a direction "such :thattheir upper surfaces move outwardly and the driven elements 29B will be likewise 'rotatedf'at: amuch higher velocity; The effect oftheair-upon the lifting elements is such as to "result infa compression along their'underlsurfaces and a zone'of reduced pressure along' their upper surfaces, this variation in pressure being..materially greater along the surfaces of the driven'elements '29B'than'it is a, rate-dependent upon; the speed of the blower.

If desired, any tendency; of the machine to ro- These corrugated drums tate as a result of the reactionary forces set up by the rotation of the blower may be prevented by providing one or more deflecting vanes 56 (Figs. 1 and 5) so positioned as to lie in the path of movement of a portion of the air blast produced by the blower. By inclining these vanes in the proper direction, as indicated in Fig. 5, the air passing over them may be caused to neutralizethe tendency to rotate the machine set up by the blower.

In order that the machine may be driven in a forward direction after it has been elevated by the operationof the blower and the lifting ele- "ments, the frame comprising the rings 21, 22, 2 3, lines in Fig. 1 whenever the motoris driving ;the

and parts mounted therein are pivotally connected with respect to the hangers 32 and car "-'31 so that'they may be tilted to a position indicated in Fig. 2, after which the forces set up by thelifting elements may be resolved into two components, one tending to prevent the descent .of the machine and the other tending to move it me forward direction. By. tilting the frame and; the parts mounted therein to varying degrees of inclination, any desired ratio may be established between the liftingcomponentv and the forward propelling component.

, One means whereby the tilting of the: upper part .of the structure may be effected by a pilot in the car is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. It comprises a pair of cables 5'7 each of which may be secured at oneend to the ring 21 near the front of the machine, thence passed one or more'times about a drum 58 rotatably mounted in the car, and then secured at its otherend to the ring 21 near the rear of the machine. The drum 58 may be rotated by suitable driving mechanism, herein disclosedas a worm wheel 59 and worm 60, the

latter being mounted on a shaft fil'providediwith a hand wheel 62 conveniently located for manipulation by the pilot. It will be obvious that a sprocket wheel and chain may be substituted for the drum58 and cable 57, or any other mechani cally equivalent device resorted to as-a means of tilting "the upper part of the structure; By properly proportioning-the distance from --the center of the ring frame structure to the center of the drum, the desired degree of tilting may be ef-' fected' without eithermaterially'tightening or loosening the; cable 57-. .Any slight varlation'may be provided for. by including short resilient sec-' tions in the form of spiral springs ,63jnearthe ends of the cable, by'means of which it may be maintained taut.

Any appropriate means may be provided whereby the'direction of movement may be con- 6'? pivotally mounted at the ends of the rod '34 which traversesthe center .of the main frame of the machine. This light rudder structure and its frame may therefore swingabout the rod 34 .so as tofloat or assume a positionsuch as to afford minimumobstruction against the air as [the machine, moves in' any direction. -When'be- .ly-ihorizontal planeA Were ,the-machine ltobe moved: at an upwardly-inclined angle,v thelrudder frame would assume, a somewhatdrooping position. 'On the 'other hand, it the direction of movement-were to be changed so as tomove along a downwardly-inclined angle;- the frame wen-1d 'c'a-use'the rudder to be lifted: slightly above w 5 it pcint"ofconnection with'the frame.

.':.'.In order that the rudder may not be permitted -to -swing to a position below the car wl'ien the machineis'l'anding, as indicated in broken-line's m- Fig. 1',-'--and in order that it may not be per- -'l0 rnitted-jto swing clear over'tne structure at"the i top and assume an inverted position in front of theqnacliinqany suitable means may be provided-fto limit its swinging or heating 'rnoverhent. As -il-lustrat'ed iri Figs; 1 and '4, such means is indi- 3. -catedascomprising pairs of leaf springs- 58i extending" "forwardly-and 'rearwardly from hangers 69 fixedly secured to the cross-bar 34 "at opposite 7 sides ofthe aerofcil structures 6"? as" at "10, "ll

tFi'g; 4)

'The'position or the rudder 64 may be controlled by cables 72extending from the ends of arms 73 on the ru'dderinto and through the tubular rud- "der frame element 66, thence about pulleys '74 "(Fig. 5) onthe cross-bar 34, and connected at "theinends' to a pivotally' mounted controlling device '75 adapted to be operated by the feet of thep'ilot. g r 1 "The planes or 'aerofoil structures 67 are not 'relied upon primarily as lifting elements, but'will .l'gg'assist in maintaining the rudder structure in a position such as to set up a minimum resistance =--ward direction, and caused to descend, by proper- 3 ly regulating the speed of the motor and varying -bedangerous. This is best illustratedin Fig; 1.

ns there indicated in full lines, the normal :posij tion of theblower is such as to direct air'from the vanes 51 against'the surfaces of the rotatable lifting elements 29. The pitch of thescrewand-nut connection 44, 45 between the motor-and the'blower, however, is such that-if the motor comes to rest and the machine begins to descend, "the resistance of the air on the'under side of the dome-shaped structure 50 of the blower will cause it to be rotated about its axis and move upwardly along the screw 45 to the position no indicated in broken lines in Fig. 1, after which f the air below the blower will be deflected outwardly by the dome-shaped structure and directed against the surfaces of the lifting elements. This outwardly-moving air will cause the lifting elements to continue their rotation and maintain alifting-force opposed to the force of gravity, whereby the undue downward acceleration of the machine will be checked and the machinecaused to descend at a speed atwhich it may alight with safety. As soon as the motor has been repaired and started, it will cause the screw l5 to advance with respect to the blower and again lower the blower to its normal position.

It will be apparent that the blower when rotated by the motor will serve as an additional -lifting' element s'in'ce -all of the air which i's dri-ven outwa'rdlyby its va'n'esbl fnust be dra'wn from thetop; the portion which-serves; as intake being closed "atthe' bottom" "by the dome-shaped structure 50. A reduction of air pressureis therei T foreconstantlyniairftaihed above the central part --'of the blowerg which is overloalan'c'ed by' the 'atmospn nc: pressure ander-heath the dome-shaped closur e; 'vvhi'chaccordingly becomeseffectiv as; a lifting-means.

5 Iii-Figs. 6; 7 and 8 is illu'strat'ed amddifiedfonm of lifting element which ombine's the features of the" drums 29B and driving elements-29A 'of the p'referred form illustrated in Fig'. -5. -Thfi'hbdi- 5 new form consists of a cylindrical 'stru'ctur hav ing flanges 53' at its ends and d1-iving vane 52f eutending lengthwise throughout; a ortion only "of the-"length of thestructure. The emai'ni'ng portions 1 '29" A arecylindricaL drums; which need not necessarily be corrugated as are those of the driVeneleme'nts QQB ofthe preferred-form. Six-of "the modified lifting elements -like the' one" illustrated; in Figsi 6, l 7" and 8 maybe Substituted '{for the driving and driven lifting elements 29A', '-29B of the preferred formiin-which case the gearing 'inay; be omitted since each liftingeliement is provide-cl' with its own individual driving vanes. In such modified construction, however, the" speed --'of rotation of the "six lifting elements would besubstantially equali g It -'will be apparent that 'thecar withits load comprising the motor, fuel, pilot; "and other-equipsuperstructure; which-may be of relatively light material. I Thece'n'ter-'of gravity of the device as a whole may, therefore, be kept well b'e'lO'Wthe level "of the liftingsurfacesby suspending the car at a "distance below th frameas indicated. T The machine will, thereforeybe "stable atalltimes.

The invention is not intended to-be limitedto the forms which have b'e'ensel'ect'edfdr' purposes of illustration, b'ut should be regarded"--asineluding variations and modifications thereof within thescope ofthe appended claims.

What is olaimed'is:

lfAn" aircraft comprising a' lifting element "mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, a centrifugal blower; rotatable about' an axis perpenclic'ul'ar tothat' of the liftingel'ement'for im- 'pelling' a continuous bl'astof air in a horizontal direction against its surface'from'one sideythe axis of the lifting element being disposedintermediate the opposite bounding planes or the "vanes of'the blower, and means-for rotating said lifting element in a'direction such that itsupper surface willmove in the direction of movement of the air. 7

-2."'An aircraft comprising a lifting element mounted for rotation about ahorizontalfaxis and a centrifugal blower rotatable about an axis perpendicular to that of thelifting element for impelli'ng a continuous" blastoffair in a horizontal direction against jits'surface from onefside,

"the axis 'of the lifting elem'ent.being dispos'edintermediate the oppositebounding'planesbf the vanes of the blower,-said lifting element being provided with vanes so' disposed a's to cause it to be rotated in a direction-such that -'its' upper surface-will be moved in the direection of-niovement of the air.

3. An aircraft comprising a pluralityof lifting elements disposed in a circular arrangement, each mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, the various axes being substantially tangent to a common circle, means for impelling air outmentwculd materially exceed in weighttheentire In. L

- wardly from within the circle against the, inl ,wardly-disposed surfaces of said elements, and

means for rotating said elements in directions such that their upper surfaces will move outwardly, A I

i 4. An aircraft comprising a plurality of lifting elements :disposed in a circular arrangement,

-each mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, the variousaxes being substantiallytangent to a common circle, and means for impelling air outwardly from within the circle against the inwardly-disposed surfaces of said elements, said lifting elements being provided with vanesso disposed that they may be rotated by the moving air in directions such that their upper surfaces v-will be moved outwardly.

a 5. An aircraft comprising'a centrifugal blower mounted for ;rotation about a vertical axis, a circular series of lifting elements surrounding said blower, each rotatable about a horizontal axis disposed crosswise with respect tothe direction of movement of air-impelled outwardly by the blower when'in motion, and means for rotating said elements in directions such that their upper surfaces will move outwardly. g

.6; An aircraft comprising a centrifugal blower mounted for rotation about a vertical axis and a circular series of lifting 'elementssurrounding said blower, each rotatable about a horizontal axis disposed crosswise with respect to the direction of, movement of air impelled outwardly by the blower when in motion, said lifting elements being provided with vanes. so disposed that they may be rotated by the moving air in directions such that their upper surfaces will be moved outwardly.

'7. An aircraft, substantially as defined by claim 1,'of which the lifting element comprises a rotatable drum and of which the rotating means therefor comprises vanesextending along the drum for a portion of its length only.

8. An aircraft, substantially as defined by claim 3, having a frame as a mounting member for the lifting elements,.a car suspended from said frame, and means for tilting the frame with re-' spect-to, the car and its suspending means,

9. An aircraft, substantially as defined by claim 3, having a frame as amounting member for the [lifting elements, a second frame pivotally "connected therewith for swinging movement about a horizontal, axis, and'a directional rudder pivotally mounte in V the second-mentioned Iframe. a

10. An aircraft, substantially as defined by claims, of which theliftingelements comprise -driving' elements and driven elements, the driving elements being provided with vanes so disposed as to cause them to be rotated by the outwardly-impelled air in a direction such that their upper, surfaces will be moved outward1y,

and the driven elements'comprising drums connected with the driying elements by means of step-up gearing adapted to rotate themfat'a speed greater than that of the driving elements T and in a direction' such that their upper surfaces will be moved outwardly.

, '11. An aircraft comprising a frame, a cen-' trifugal blower mounted for rotation in said frame abouta vertical axis, said blower being movable axially from a lower to an upper operating position, a circular series of lifting elements surrounding said blower, each rotatable about a horizontal axis disposed crosswise with respect to the direction of movement of air impelled outwardlyby the blower when rotated while. in its lower position, means for rotating said lifting elements in directions such that their upper surfaces willmove outwardly, said blower: having a dome-shaped closure beneath its airpropelled vanes, whereby air deflected outwardly byjthe c under surface of the closure, when the blower is in its uppermost position, may be directed against the inner surfaces of the lifting elements.

12. An aircraft, as defined by claim 11, having a motor and a driving connection between said motor and the blower, said; driving connec- .'tion comprising anut and screw device having a steep pitch with the inclination of the threads of the screw so disposed with respect to the direction of drive of the motor thatsa rotation of the blower by the motor will cause the blower to be maintained in its lower position whereas an upward pressure on the dome-shaped under surface of the blower, when the motor is atrest,

will cause the blower to be rotated and elevatedto its upper position. I

13. An aircraft comprising'a frame, a centrifugal blower mounted for rotation in said frame about a vertical axis, a circularseries of lifting elements surrounding said blower, each rotatable about a horizontal axis disposedcross wise with respect to the direction of movement of air; impelled outwardly by the blower when rotated, means for rotating said lifting elements in directions such that their upper surfaces will be moved outwardly, a car suspended-fronr-said frame, means for tilting the frame with respect to the car and itssuspending means, a motor in said car, and a driving connection between the motor and the blower comprising differential gearing mounted at the pivotal connection between the frame and the suspending means for the car. i

14. An aircraft comprising a lifting structure including air-agitating means by and'from which air may be forcibly impelled outwardly from within and means lying in the path of the outwardlyimpelled air by which it may be deflected, a car suspended from said liftingstructure, means for tilting the lifting structure with respect tosaidcar whereby the directive effect of the lifting structure may be varied, and a directional rudder mounted in an arm pivotallyconnected with said car so as to be free to swing about a horizontal axis.

spect to said carwhereby the directive effect of the liftingstructure may be varied, a motor in the car and a driving connection between the motor and the air-impelling means of the lifting element, said driving connection including differential gearing mounted at the tilting connection between the lifting element and the car. ALPHONSE F. LA, FON. 

